No deadline for release of lawyer held for corruption questioning

Rebecca Richardson -Dec 2, 2012

Sarah Armstrong ... might not be home for Christmas.

AN AUSTRALIAN woman being held by authorities in Mongolia still doesn't know if she'll be home for Christmas, even though the government's intense questioning of her knowledge of a mining corruption scandal is coming to an end.

Sarah Armstrong, 32, pictured, had been in Mongolia working as chief legal counsel for Rio Tinto subsidiary SouthGobi Resources. She was refused permission to board a flight back to Hong Kong on October 19.

The coalminer said Ms Armstrong was required to stay in the country while authorities questioned her over her knowledge of allegations the former chief of Mongolia's mining authority illegally handled mining licences under the previous government.

Ms Armstrong has now been in the country's capital, Ulaanbaatar, for more than six weeks, under security guard.

It is understood the questioning has now ended and the corruption inquiry is over, but authorities will still not release Ms Armstrong, despite not charging her.

A family friend, Luke Dean, said Ms Armstrong had been left frustrated by the whole ordeal.

''She's exhausted - the last round of questioning was nearly nine hours, it's starting to wear her down,'' he said.

"It’s starting to take its toll. The last last development is frustrating for her - working with a legal system that’s nothing like Australia’s."

Mongolia's honorary consul-general in Australia, Peter Sloane, said the Mongolian authorities and the embassy were taking the situation very seriously and were conscious of how their management was construed by foreigners.

Mongolian embassy secretary, Hantulga, said the embassy could not officially release any information.

Australian foreign minister Bob Carr has not been to Mongolia to visit Ms Armstrong. However, he has raised the case with his Mongolian counterpart.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian Consulate-General in Ulaanbaatar was continuing to give consular assistance to Ms Armstrong and denies she is being detained.

"Ms Armstrong has been interviewed several times by the Mongolian anti-corruption authorities in connection with an investigation. She has been accompanied by her legal representative and interpreter during those meetings. Australia's Consul-General David Lawson has been in frequent contact with her," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said it would not be constructive to provide a running commentary on the legal process.